Last week Roadcycling.com published an article about the new BMC Pro Machine bike which will be used by the Phonak team in the 2005 Tour de France. Thanks to all the readers who have written to us asking for more details about the bike ? and more photos. After talking to General Manager of BMC, Andy Kessler, we are now able to publish more exclusive shots of the new BMC bike. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /?>

Andy Kessler, told Roadcycling.com that the Phonak riders are very excited about the bike. The riders completed their first training rides on the new BMC Pro Machine bikes on July 1 and it is the intention to build bikes for Botero, Landis, Pereiro, and eventually Moos.

Kessler also told our reporter that the riders find the new bikes to be ?very hot,? and added that ??but of course the riders will decide in the following days where and how often they will ride the new bikes. We have one very nice problem. The complete bike including pedals and water bottle cage) is 6.4 kg. This means we have to add weight...? The Tour de <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /?>
France organizers require all bikes used in the race to meet certain specifications.

Stay tuned to Roadcycling.com for more Tour de France coverage ? and for more info about the new BMC Pro Machine.